Physical Therapy For Golfers Lincoln Park MI

Local resource for physical therapy for golfers in Lincoln Park. Includes detailed information on local businesses that provide access to physical therapy specialists, golf fitness programs, golf trainers, flexibility training, sports injury specialists, and sports nutritionists, as well as advice and content on hiring the right golf physical therapists.

Golfer's Elbow: Is There a Link to the Neck?

More than half the time, elbow pain along the inside of the elbow is caused by a pinched nerve in the neck. That was the reported result of examining 102 patients with elbow pain called medial epicondylitis, golfer's elbow, or pitcher's elbow.

Pressure on the spinal nerve roots as they exit the spinal column can cause neck and/or arm pain, and numbness and tingling down the arm. Weakness of the muscles supplied by the affected nerve root is another main symptom of a pinched nerve. The medical term for a pinched nerve in the neck is cervical radiculopathy.

In the case of medial epicondylitis linked with cervical radiculopathy, weakness of the muscles supplied by the pinched nerve leads to problems at the elbow. The spinal nerve roots affected and thus associated with golfer's elbow are C6 and C7.

Weakness compounded by repetitive motion and overload of the muscle-tendon junction can then lead to microtearing and tendon damage. But as this study showed, weakness from cervical radiculopathy can be enough to put the elbow at risk for the development of medial epicondylitis. The 55 patients who developed golfer's elbow didn't golf or play ball.

Abnormal findings on MRIs taken as part of the diagnostic workup confirmed the diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy in 54 per cent of these patients. The levels affected most often were C5-6 and C6-7. Three-fourths of the patients had bilateral (both elbows) medial epicondylitis.

With epicondylitis, it is known that the damaged tendon doesn't heal correctly. Degeneration occurs with fibrotic (scar) tissue forming instead of new, healthy tissue. The lack of tendon healing is possibly another end-result of the compromised (pinched) nerve tissue in the neck. The connection between poor tendon healing and the cervical radiculopathy has not been proven yet, so this is just a suggested theory for now.

The importance of this study was to remind physicians to consider cervical radiculopathy as the primary dia...

Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer's Elbow)

A Patient's Guide to Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer's Elbow)

Introduction

Medial epicondylitis is commonly known as golfer's elbow. This does not mean that only golfers have this condition. But the golf swing is a common cause of medial epicondylitis. Many other repetitive activities can also lead to golfer's elbow: throwing, chopping wood with an ax, running a chain saw, and using many types of hand tools. Any activities that stress the same forearm muscles can cause symptoms of golfer's elbow.

This guide will help you understand

what parts of the elbow are affected

what causes golfer's elbow

how to make the pain go away

Anatomy

What parts of the elbow are affected?

Golfer's elbow causes pain that starts on the inside bump of the elbow, the medial epicondyle. Wrist flexors are the muscles of the forearm that pull the hand forward. The wrist flexors are on the palm side of the forearm. Most of the wrist flexors attach to one main tendon on the medial epicondyle. This tendon is called the common flexor tendon.

Tendons connect muscle to bone. Tendons are made up of strands of a material called collagen. The collagen strands are lined up in bundles next to each other.

Because the collagen strands in tendons are lined up, tendons have high tensile strength. This means they can withstand high forces that pull against both ends of the tendon. When muscles work, they pull on one end of the tendon. The other end of the tendon pulls on the bone, causing the bone to move.

The wrist flexor muscles contract when you flex your wrist, twist your forearm down, or grip with your hand. The contracting muscles pull on the flexor tendon. The forces that pull on the tendon can build when you grip a golf club during a golf swing or do other similar actions.

Related Document: A Patient's Guide to Elbow Anatomy

Causes

Why did I develop golfer's elbow?

Overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm and elbow are the most common reason people develop golfer's elbow. Repeating some types of activities over and over again can put too much strain on the elbow tendons. These activities are not necessarily high-level sports competition. Shoveling, gardening, and hammering nails can all cause the pain of golfer's elbow. Swimmers who try to pick up speed by powering their arm through the water can also strain the flexor tendon at the elbow.

In some cases, the symptoms of golfer's elbow are due to inflammation. In an acute injury, the body undergoes an inflammatory response. Special inflammatory cells make their way to the injured tissues to help them heal. Conditions that involve inflammation are indicated by -itis on the end of the word. For example, inflammation in a tendon is called tendonitis. Inflammation around the medial epicondyle is called medial epicondylitis.

However, golfer's elbow often is not caused by inflammation. Rather, it is a problem within the cells of the tendon. Doctors c...

Looking for information on Tendinopathy in Lincoln Park? We have compiled a list of businesses and services around Lincoln Park that should help you with your search. We hope this page helps you find information on Tendinopathy in Lincoln Park.